ofac
OFAC to Begin Sanctioning Companies Facilitating Ransomware Payments
The OFAC may begin sanctioning US nationals and institutions that help facilitate payments in a ransomware attack.
Tether Says Will Not Block Tornado Cash until it is Directed by Authorities
Tether has affirmed it will not be blockchain addresses linked to Tornado Cash unless explicitly asked to do so by the government.
US Treasury Fines Bittrex Exchange $29m for Multi-Year Sanctions Violation
The United States Treasury Department through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has fined Bittrex $29 million due to failure to prevent individuals in sanctioned jurisdictions from using its platform.
FinCEN Issues Alert to Counter Financing to Hamas and its Terrorist Activities
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued an alert to financial institutions, urging vigilance in identifying and reporting suspicious activities related to the financing of the terrorist organization Hamas. The alert comes in the wake of a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which was funded through various means, including virtual currency.
Tether Implements Wallet-Freezing Policy Aligned with US Regulations
Tether's wallet-freezing policy, in line with US OFAC regulations, is a proactive approach to cybercrime, setting a new standard in the crypto industry.
Court Upholds OFAC's Designation of Tornado Cash Under IEEPA
The US District Court upheld the OFAC's designation of Tornado Cash under the IEEPA, rejecting plaintiffs' claims of overreach and First Amendment violations, highlighting legal challenges for privacy-oriented blockchain entities.
CoinList Settles with OFAC for $1.2 Million Over Crimea Sanctions Violations
CoinList settles with OFAC for $1.2 million over transactions for users in Crimea, promising to invest $300,000 in compliance enhancements.
US Treasury Targets Hamas Financial Networks Post-Israel Attack
In a strategic move following the recent terrorist attack on Israel, the US Treasury designated ten key individuals and entities affiliated with Hamas, targeting their financial networks across several countries. This action accentuates the broader US initiative to choke off Hamas’s financial resources, while spotlighting the emerging challenges posed by virtual currencies in terror financing.
Tornado Cash Co-Founder Seeks Dismissal of Money Laundering Charges
Tornado Cash's co-founder, Roman Storm, has filed a dismissal motion for charges related to money laundering and violating the IEEPA.
Rep Emmer Demands Answers From Yellen Over Tornado Cash Sanction
Rep Tom Emmer, a United States Congress member and crypto advocate, is seeking answers from the United States Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen on the sanctioned Tornado Cash cryptocurrency mixing service.
Ethereum is Getting Closed to Being Completely Censored Because of OFAC Regulations
Ethereum is becoming more compliant with OFAC sanctions per on-chain data
Lazarus-Linked Blender.io Added to US Treasury's Sanction List
Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mixing service, Blender.io has been added to the sanctions list by the United States Treasury Department.
Binance Aids US Law Enforcement in Seizing $4.4 Million Linked to North Korean Cybercrimes
Leading cryptocurrency exchange Binance has assisted US law enforcement in seizing $4.4 million and freezing accounts associated with North Korean organized crime.
Debunking Overblown Claims on Crypto and Terrorism Financing
Chainalysis debunks inflated claims on cryptocurrency's role in terrorism financing, emphasizing the predominant use of traditional fiat-based channels by terrorist groups. The analysis highlights the challenges and common misconceptions in tracing terrorist fund flows on the blockchain, particularly concerning service provider identification.
Paxful Exits Venezuela’s P2P Crypto Bitcoin Market Following US Sanctions
Paxful has withdrawn its crypto trading services from Venezuela after the country was classified as high-risk by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Chainalysis: Venezuela’s State-Owned Crypto Exchange Possibly Used by Maduro Regime to Launder Funds
Blockchain analysis company Chainalysis wanted to find out whether the claims of whether Petro aiding Venezuelans are true.
US Sanctions Crypto Addresses of Russian Hackers Accused of Running Presidential Election Interference
The US has released a sanctions list of Russians and their crypto addresses, under allegations that they have been interfering with the presidential election.
Russian Cybercriminals Sanctioned by DoJ for Crypto Laundering Scam Generating More than $16.8M
TheDoJ has sanctioned two Russian nationals for their cybercrimes, where millions in cryptocurrency were accumulated through scamming and phishing schemes.
US Government Offers $5 Million Reward for the Arrest of Venezuela’s Head of Petro Cryptocurrency
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has added Venezuela’s head of Petro cryptocurrency agency, Joselit Ramirez, to its most wanted person’s list. The US government seeks to offer a $5 million reward for information leading to Ramirez’s arrest.
Binance CEO CZ Denies that US Exchange Arm Was Created to Distract Regulators
The leaked "Tai Chi" document obtained by Forbes indicates that Binance.US was set up to circumvent regulation—a claim that CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) vehemently denies.
Blockchain Transactions Affirm Suspicious Levels of RaaS Interconnectedness
Blockchain transactions confirm the interconnection between four prominent ransomware strains. A good sign for law enforcement to deter illicit money transfers.
DOJ's Crypto Regulation Report Overview: Bitcoin, Tether, Ether, Litecoin, and Ripple
US authorities are tightening regulations on cryptocurrencies. Here is an overview of what their recently released report suggests.